The first ever National Forum of “Act Development Central Asia” Alliance was successfully held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on November 6-7. The Forum brought together five international development agencies – ICCO (the Netherlands), DanChurchAid (DCA, Denmark), Christian Aid (United Kingdom), Norwegian Church Aid and Hungarian Interchurch Aid – and more than fifteen non-governmental organisations and microfinance institutions from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. More than 40 representatives of the organisations participated in this historic event. Read more...

The global credit crisis will have dramatic consequences for the poorest, because those who fund
them are hit by the breakdown," says John Nduna, director of ACT International. Read more...

Small seeds for an active civil society are starting to grow in the poor Central Asian Republic Kyrgyzstan where children have to work to get an income to the family Read more...

DanChurchAid prepares a Material Aid support of 750.000 DKK for foodstuffs, sanitary and household packages for the 30.000 refugees, that fled to Russian North Ossetia from Georgian South Ossetia in early august Read more...

In Central Asian countries the fight for women to strengthen their rights and move closer to full partnership with men is well documented by international organizations. One example of such partnership in Kyrgzstan is Avazbek Balthabaev and his wife Paiza Bathaeva, who work as a team in both business and in self-help groups in their community.


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Where have all the young men gone, gone to Russia everyone," might be the modified refrain of a folk song in many a rural village in Tajikistan, at least for the women left behind. This is the 4th part in the series on self help groups in Central Asia, written by Peter Kenny. Read more...

DanChurchAid and local partners work together to find sustainable solutions to problems experienced by the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Read more...

Margarita Zobnina, a medical biologist in the nursing profession, joined a women's group in her native Kazakhstan after the collapse of the Soviet Union, at a time when women faced not only increasing impoverishment but also loneliness. Read more...

There should be plenty of water at the town of Balykchy, where property prices are booming for some. But the faces of the elderly at the local community centre look crestfallen. Read more...

If the main bridge across the Rhone River in central Geneva collapsed and was not repaired, or attended to within days, or even hours, residents of the Swiss city would be up in arms, lobbying and harassing local, regional or federal authorities to act. Action would likely soon be taken. Read more...

The HIV/AIDS situation in the Russian Federation is worsening, and the epidemic may spread, a new report from DanChurchAid concludes. Read more...

In the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bisjkek, thousands of people from all parts of the country have camped on the city square to participate in large demonstrations against President Bakiev’s regime. Read more...

The cold weather in Russia during the last few weeks has caused many frost-bites among the homeless in Sct. Petersburg. The hostel of Nochlezkha has just succeeded in organising a local collection of clothes, but is now appealing to the Danish population for help to food and health care. Read more...

When the Soviet Union broke down in 1991, the Kazakhs had the opportunity to create their own state. However, the price of independence has been high for Kazakhstan’s large working-class population. Read more...

The establishment of self help groups is an efficient method to fight poverty; this is the experience of DanChurchAid’s partners in Kazakhstan. Read more...